Hanger assembly for modular panels



- Nov. 25, 1969 R. A. D. SCHWARTZ ETAL 3,480,246

HANGER ASSEMBLY FOR MODULAR PANELS I Original Filed June 15, 1965 Ill. "Runny-urn INVENTORS ROBERT A. D. SCHWARTZ PHILIP W- PFEIFFER %W G" ATTORNEYS I United States Patent Ofice 3,480,246 Patented Nov. 25, 1969 3,480,246 HANGER ASSEMBLY'FOR MODULAR PANELS Robert A. D. Schwartz, Oakland, and Philip W. Pfeitfer, San Mateo, Calif., assignors to United Lighting and Ceiling Co., Oakland, Calif., a corporation of California Original application June 15, 1965, Ser. No. 464,122, now Patent No. 3,368,070, dated Feb. 6, 1968. Divided and this application Sept. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 688,284

Int. Cl. E04g 17/18; E04b 1/38 US. Cl. 248-327 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hanger assembly for supporting a light transmitting panel in vertically spaced positons relative to a hanger rod in which legs depend from said rods through an aperture in the panel and a retaining disk is inserted between the legs to spread them into an operative panel supporting position.

This is a division of application Ser. No. 464,122 filed June 15, 1965, now Patent 3,368,070, issued Feb. 6, 1968.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved clip for securing adjoining closed louver panels together in an efiicacious and simple manner and which is designed to not permit direct passage of light through the panels at their point of securance.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an enlarged perspective view of a hanger system for supporting a closed louver panel beneath a lighting fixture, and depicting its relationship to a panel.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the hanger of FIGURE 1.

In providing a conventional closed louver light transmitting panel beneath a lighting fixture, it is now common to utilize a lattice frame work since the use of a conventional hanger results in an undesirable aperture in the panel. The instant invention includes as an important part thereof a hanger which obviates the necessity of these lattice structures and does not result in an aperture in the panel. A preferred embodiment of the hanger system of the invention is depicted in FIGURES 1 and 2. Such hanger system includes a hanger rod 31 adapted at one end to be secured to a structure such as an upper ceiling (not shown) above the position at which the light diffusing panel 11 is desired to be supported. The depending free end 32 of such rod is threaded as depicted.

A hanger member 33 is provided for securing the panels to hanger rod 31. This hanger member includes a web 34 having alternating threaded half-cylinders 36 for threadably receiving end 32 of hanger rod 31. Two flexible legs 37 depend from web 34 and are adapted to extend through a cylindrical aperture 38 within panel 11. Aperture 38 is through backing 12 coaxial with one of the cylindrical cells 13 of panelll. The periphery of this aperture corresponds to the periphery of the shoulder 18 within the cell.

Each of the legs 37 has an enlarged foot portion 41 which provides an inwardly extending flange 42 for en'- gagement with a discoidal retaining member 43. Such retaining members 43 is of a size to fit within the cylindrical cell below aperture 38 and abut against the shoulder 18. It has notches 44 in its edge adapted to receive the legs 37. When the legs are so received within notches 44, the retaining member acts to spread the legs apart, and the shoulders 42 abut against the retaining member to hold it in position. A nub 46 is provided on the inner surface of each leg to assure that the retaining member cannot move upward with respect to the legs and, in this mannet, come out of position. It should be noted that the exterior side configurations of the feet portion 41 will coincide with the periphery of the retaining member when it is so supported.

The manner in 'which the hanger system is assembled to support panel 11 should be apparent from the above. The flexible legs of hanger member 33 are brought together and are inserted through aperture 38 from above the panel. To facilitate holding of the legs together as they are so inserted, a pin 47 is provided on one of the legs over which the other leg can be hooked. After the legs are inserted, they are released from one another and retaining member 43 is attached thereto as shown in FIGURE 9. Then the panel and hanger can be raised to a hanger rod 31, and the hanger rotated, such as by means of a tab 48 on retaining member 43 to threadably receive the rod 31. It should be noted that tab 48 is provided by forming the retaining member with an indentation 49 on one side thereof. In this manner the retaining member can be made of uniform thickness so that no undesirable shadows are caused thereby.

It is to be noted that shoulder 18 of the panel will rest upon the periphery of retaining member 43 and thus the retaining member acts to close off the aperture 38. In this regard it should be noted that both the retaining member 43 and shoulders 51 on the leg feet 41 provide support for the panel. Furthermore, it is possible to level the height of a plurality of panels supported by hangers of the invention, by simply rotating the individual hangers by means of the retaining member and thereby vertically moving its associated panel. In this regard it is to be noted that the retaining member can be turned over so that the indentation is on the undersurface thereof, and provides a notch for a screw driver to facilitate such adjustment. Hanger 33, and disc 43 should be of a light transmitting material corresponding to that of the panels in order that they will be unobtrusive and not cause undesirable shadows.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with the forming of large continuous panels for ceilings, it is to be appreciated that panels formed with modular panels of the invention can be used in other lighting structures such as in a light fixture. Further, while the concept of the invention has been described with respect to light transmitting panels, it is to be realized that it is especially applicable to opaque panels utilized for various purposes such as in a decorative wall structure. The invention provides the advantage of permitting various size and shapes of decorative composite panels in such a structure without the joints between adjoining modular panels being visible.

What is claimed is:

1. A hanger assembly for supporting a light transmitting panel in a position below a lighting fixture from a threaded hanger rod depending from a structure above said panel and in which said panel is provided with an aperture and a shoulder extending transversely of the axis of the aperture, said assembly including a web threadedly engaged with said hanger rod for vertical adjustment thereon and a pair of flexible legs depending from said web for passing through said aperture in said panel, said assembly further including a separate retaining member extending between and engaging free end portions of said legs for maintaining said legs in a spread position, means interlocking said retaining member and said legs for unitary rotation about the axis of said aperture, means on said assembly adapted for sliding rotatable engagement with said shoulder whereby said panel is supported on said hanger and whereby rotation of said assembly on said hanger will vertically adjust the position of said panel.

2. A hanger assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which References Cited said retaining member has a peripheral configuration gen- UNITED STATES PATENTS erally conforming to the peripheral configuration of said aperture for substantially closing said aperture. 2,767,953 10/1956 9 248343 3. A hanger assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which 5 2,937,265 5/1960 Bhtzer 248 343 X said interlocking means includes spaced notches on said 294L101 6/1960 Terracma 24O 9 retaining member for receiving said legs. 2,958,761 11/1960 Wakefield 248343 X 4. A hanger assembly as set forth in claim 1 including flanges extending inwardly from the lower ends of said R Y D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner legs and underlying said retaining member, and inwardly 10 extending projections on said legs spaced from said flanges CL XR and overlying said retaining member for preventing rel- 52-512; 248' 343 ative vertical movement between said retaining member and said legs. 

